SHILLONG: Cabinet Minister and Jaintia Hills MLA Wailadmiki Shylla stated that while the state government has successfully secured the lifting of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on coal mining, the transition to scientific mining methods has proven completely impractical for small-scale miners in Meghalaya.
Interacting with media persons, Shylla clarified that the initial ban on coal mining was not imposed by the state government, but was passed by the NGT back in 2014, leading to widespread public agitation and an unfortunate loss of human lives in the subsequent chaos.
He explained that the blanket ban is no longer in effect today following the active intervention of the state government under the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) administration. However, under the current regulatory framework, all mining operations are strictly required to adhere to scientific guidelines.
Shylla admitted that complying with the stringent norms laid down by the Union Ministry of Coal has proved to be an incredibly difficult and challenging task, especially when considering the unique terrain of the region and the traditional mining practices of the locals.
He remarked that while a few large-scale miners have applied for mining licenses, the general public and small-scale miners have come to realize how complex the process actually is.
The minister explained that the mandated open-cast mining method is entirely unsuited to the nature of coal deposits in the region.
Since the coal seams in Meghalaya are stratified in deep layers, adopting open-cast mining would yield no profit and would instead result in heavy financial losses for the local miners.
Expressing deep concern over the issue, particularly on behalf of the legislators representing the Jaintia Hills region, Shylla stated that the government faces a delicate balancing act.
He noted that the administration cannot afford to destroy the environment, but at the same time, it must safeguard the continuous livelihoods of the citizens. He maintained that the state could not simply allow the resumption of traditional rat-hole mining without first attempting to implement scientific methods.
However, now that the practical implementation has been tested, many large-scale landowners who came forward have realized that open-cast mining is fundamentally unviable for the region.
The minister suggested that the time has come for the state to approach the Central Government to apprise them of these ground realities, urging New Delhi to explore alternative modern technological solutions that can accommodate and protect the interests of Meghalaya’s small-scale miners.
